quiet moments
by Peter Gilles
Summary: various x men experience individual quiet moments free from all angst.
1. waking with the sun

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does._

* * *

I don't need an alarm clock – never have. I've woken with the sun as long as I can remember.

I can't just stay in bed once I've woken up, either. I get fidgety and sweaty. So I get up when I wake up and take pleasure in having the mansion more-or-less to myself for a few hours. It's just as well since I need a lot of that time to have my shower. I know many of the team find it amusing that I spend so long in the shower (often suggesting excessively lewd reasons why I'm in there so long), but it's an unfortunate matter of necessity for me. Showering blind takes time.

Once I'm washed and have put some pants on, I go outside. No top on. It interferes with what I want to do. I face the east and bask in the rising sun. I let the subtle warmth of the dawn's light envelop me. I let its energies pour into me, awaking me in a way far more than opening my eyes ever could.

In this quiet moment I am free, I am happy.

* * *

_This is the first part of a series of short first person narratives of various X Men. I have a fair few already planned out, but by all means feel free to suggest an X Man for me to write for._


	2. splashing with the clouds

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does._

* * *

Not sure why I came out here. To be alone, I guess. Everyone is always shouting or messing around at the mansion and – don't get me wrong, normally I love joining in all that – today I just wanted some peace and quiet. So I flew out here to the lake.

It's hot out here, away from the shade. Not as hot as Mississippi, of course, but the summer heat is enough to slightly warm the surface of the lake. It's so tempting…

Sitting down by the lakeside and taking off my sandals, I dip my feet into the water. Perfect. Not too cold, but not too warm. I gently splash my feet around, finding contentment in the calming noise and the soft, cool feel of the water.

If I lie back, I can look at the clouds too, all white and fluffy, without a care in the world. For a moment, I can pretend the same.

In this quiet moment I am free, I am happy.

* * *

_This is the second part of a series of short first person narratives of various X Men. As mentioned before, by all means feel free to suggest an X Man for me to write for._


	3. laughing with the garden

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does._

* * *

My sensei taught me to meditate each day – at least, I think he did. It's as hard as ever to sort my real memories from the crap they put in my head. But I digress. Heh. Bet you thought I didn't know words like that? Anyway, I try to meditate everyday. I can't always do that, but I try. And today's as good a day as any.

The forest is good to do this in 'cause nothing and nobody will disturb me here. Close my eyes and clear my head. Emptying my mind of all the frustration and anger and all those pent up urges. I am more than an animal. I am a man. I am a samurai.

Eventually, without thinking about it on purpose, the image of the garden comes to me. I dream of this garden often, or at least whenever I'm not having nightmares. I'm sure it's a real garden, in Japan I think, but it's a memory that I can't remember right.

But that's not the important part. The important part is whose there. I can see myself, with Mariko, Amiko, Kitty and Jubilation. Everyone is happy and playing, I can hear their laughter.

Slowly, the image whites out and all I can hear is the laughter until I'm just left with the feeling it gave me.

In this quiet moment I am free, I am happy.

* * *

_Thanks for the reviews StormLover and Marie Nomad. This one should be easy to guess and I'll start work on writing Havok later today._


	4. riding with the night

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does.

* * *

_

It never fails to annoy Bishop whenever I do this. He likes us to all have these predictable schedules that he can keep track of. The rest of them think I go out into town and pick up a whore or two – even Rogue. Especially Rogue, if I think about it. As usual, I let them underestimate me.

Most nights, all I do is cruise until the early hours. Maybe some street racing if I can find it. I'm perfectly suited to it. My devil's eyes mean that I can see better without the headlight on (which is slightly illegal, but don't tell anyone) and my reflexes mean that I react to what I see long before anything realises I'm there. Keeps me in practice.

The thing about reflexes, though, is that they're far closer to instinct than conscious thought. So after a while, my mind tunes out the growl of the Harley's engine and the rushing wind. After a while, it feels quieter than the night itself.

Then I can relax.

In this quiet moment I am free, I am happy.

* * *

_Thanks everybody for the reviews. I'm still open for suggestions on who to write for next._


	5. dancing with the sky

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does._

* * *

I have the loft all to myself. It is a place of tranquillity, full of the sunlight's shining serenity and the fresh whispering of the wind through the open windows. And the door locks too.

Here I can be alone and be a woman.

Among the X Men, I have to be a leader, a teacher, a hero and (Bright Lady preserve me) even a mother figure. Too often I am a goddess, above the straining insanity of mortals. But here I can be a woman.

I dance with no music to distract me and no clothes to hinder me, my eyes shut to both stretch my soul beyond mere sight and to enclose that same feeling around me. I move as the impulse takes me, my unshackled emotions flowing as gracefully as my body, and my mind is set free to wander with Mother Earth.

Here I remember who I am – the sky sheds summer tears of happiness and smiles a rainbow for me.

In this quiet moment I am free, I am happy.

* * *

_StormLover and __Mazdamiatta: this is for you. Everyone else, thanks for reading and keeping on sending in your reviews and suggestions._


	6. smiling with the future

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does._

* * *

I don't show it, but this is when I feel my most….satisfied? Happy? Yes, I feel happy. Here and now, after an exhausting day for them all and they've all gone to sleep. 

We check on them together, Sean and I. One by one, we make sure they're sleeping safe and sound. We make sure they're each properly tucked in and dreaming softly. And we do it without a word between us – not a word is needed. We share a love for the children that we acknowledge with actions, not words. Their youth, their hope, their unbridled potential: we know that they are our true future, more than any time-traveller could ever hope to be.

It is in this short space of time, free of pretence and shorn from expectations, in which I can truly feel happy in myself and what I'm doing. I can smile.

In this quiet moment I am happy, I am free.

* * *

_Here you are Jottma, just as you asked. Thank you to everybody who has read and reviewed so far; I'm still taking requests (and still trying to think of a way to do Havok justice, Marie), so keep the reviews coming._


	7. flying with the angels

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does._

* * *

It was a lifetime ago since I did this last. Since I could fly through the air.

The Danger Room feels a little sterile when we begin – after all, it could never truly replace the sheer exhilaration we felt back at the circus back in Bavaria – but Amanda thought it would be a good idea. And who am I to argue?

Once we've warmed up and done a few practice manoeuvres, I'm starting to get into the spirit of it as it brings back the happy memories of before. The artificial cheers and computerised background mean nothing to us as we perform all our old stunts:

Jump, swing, flip, twist, reach, catch; swing, jump, twist, double-flip, twist, reach, catch; swing, jump, triple-flip, reach, catch, grin.

The longer we continue, the more we do, the closer we are to the finale, the harder my heart beats and the sweeter my spirit sings. Finally we come to it – the big finish – less than a dozen people in the world can do this. The Quadruple flip:

Swing…..swing…..leap…….flip, flip, flip, flip, flourish…...reach…..…

And it's then, as my arm stretches out for hers and our eyes meet, in this moment, that I realise it is here that my soul can soar as high as an angel. It is here and now that I am released from the constraints of the world. The trust we share is as unbreakable as God's own Word.

In this moment I am happy, I am free.

* * *

_Thank you again, everyone, for the reviews - please keep them coming. As before, suggestions are still taken and encouraged._


	8. dining with the id

_Otak The Canadian and Marie Nomad, I'm sorry but I just don't know Shadowcat or Havok well enough to get inside their heads and do them justice for their 'quiet moments'. This is actually going to be the very last installment and I hope everyone enjoyed them. Thank you everyone who reviewed the stories - they're what kept me writing._

_I don't own any of the X Men. But I take better care of them than Marvel does._

* * *

The entirety of my omnipresent comrades, confidants and companions make the adulatory yet erroneous postulation that I gain my greatest gratification from the most intellectual of leisure pursuits that the cerebral cortex can conceive: a particularly magnificent performance of Charpentier's _Louise_ or a relaxing read of the collected works of Dostoyevsky (a long night's reading, even for my humble self) for example. (And, my, aren't I especially alliterate today, or what?) 

Only the faithful Achates that is Robert understands the veracity of the matter – the true means of my repose…

It matters not whether I am alone or immersed in the beating heart of the crowd: this is a moment of quiet reflection that cannot be detracted from by the mere impatient fluttering movement of humanity. Nevertheless, there are detestable individuals that would seek to deliberately intrude upon this most exceptional of experiences and would attempt to dissuade me from my hedonistic delight. Therefore, I must ensure that no such travesty will occur.

Nope, no-one. Now I am free to enjoy the deliciousness of the moment.

In this quiet moment I am…….mmmmm…..Twinkie.


End file.
